Russia’s Atom EV to start official sales in April, priced below Chinese rivals

Russia’s domestically produced electric car Atom, developed by Kama since 2021, will begin official sales in April. Kama’s commercial director said individual purchases will be online with home delivery; test drives and service will be provided via partners in major cities and expanded over time. First deliveries will fulfill preorders placed in 2023, while fleets (car-sharing, taxis) and regional authorities will receive pilot supplies. Atom’s director of government relations said the model will be cheaper than Chinese competitors; preorders are listed at 3.9 million rubles (~$51,000) before subsidies and about 3 million rubles (~$40,000) after a government discount. The car completed an 800 km test run from Moscow to Kazan, reportedly handling 95% of the trip in autonomous mode using driver-assist systems. The project’s commercial launch follows recent government statements pushing faster deployment of autonomous transport and plans to scale self-driving vehicle production. Key names: Kama (manufacturer), Alexander Kostylev (Kama commercial director), Anatoly Kiyashko (Atom director of government relations), Russian Industry Minister Anton Alikhanov, and President Vladimir Putin (urged faster autonomous development).